Blue Origin

Simulation Engineer III, Autonomy & Robotics

Blue Origin$164K — $230K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience with complex, physics-based simulations for aerospace or robotics.
  • Proficiency with simulation frameworks like Gazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, or Unreal Engine.
  • Strong development skills in C++ and Python.
  • Hands-on experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulations.
  • Experience modeling rigid body dynamics and sensors (cameras, IMUs, LiDAR).

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain high-fidelity simulation environments using designated frameworks.
  • Create and validate physics-based vehicle dynamics and environmental interaction models.
  • Develop sensor models for autonomous navigation and perception.
  • Design and operate Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testbeds.
  • Execute large-scale, faster-than-real-time simulation campaigns.
  • Collaborate with AI/ML teams to create synthetic data for model training.
  • Develop tools for simulation automation and data visualization.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance.
  • Paid parental leave and short/long-term disability.
  • 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%.
  • Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours/week.
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Full Job Description

Application close date:

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

As part of a passionate and accomplished team of experts, you will be responsible for building the simulation capabilities that enable the future of robotic space exploration. We are developing the next generation of autonomous rovers, landers, and in-space systems that will build a road to space. This role is central to our ability to develop, test, and verify the advanced AI and autonomy software that will make this vision a reality.

The Simulation Engineer III will design, build, and operate high-fidelity digital environments and testbeds. You will work closely with AI/ML engineers, GNC engineers, and vehicle systems engineers to create simulations that push the boundaries of our autonomous systems, ensuring they are robust, reliable, and ready for their mission.

We are looking for someone to join our team who is mission-driven, subscribes to the highest standards of quality, and is passionate about building the future of humanity in space.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Develop, integrate, and maintain high-fidelity simulation environments using frameworks such asGazebo, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, and other industry-standard tools.
  • Create and validate physics-based models of vehicle dynamics, actuator responses, and environmental interactions (e.g., lunar regolith mechanics).
  • Develop accurate sensor models for cameras, LiDAR, IMUs, and other sensor modalities essential for autonomous navigation and perception.
  • Design, implement, and operateHardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testbeds to validate flight software and autonomy algorithms against real hardware.
  • Execute large-scale,faster-than-real-time simulation campaigns for Monte Carlo analysis, performance characterization, and formal verification of autonomous systems.
  • Collaborate with AI/ML teams to generate high-qualitysynthetic data for training and testing perception and navigation models.
  • Develop tools and infrastructure for simulation automation, data analysis, and results visualization.

Minimum Qualifications

  • B.S. degree in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience developing and utilizing complex, physics-based simulations for aerospace, robotics, or autonomous systems.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with one or more industry-standard simulation frameworks (e.g.,Gazebo/Ignition, NVIDIA Isaac Sim, Unreal Engine, Chrono).
  • Strong software development skills in C++ and Python.
  • Hands-on experience withHardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation design and execution.
  • Experience modeling rigid body dynamics and sensor modalities (e.g., cameras, IMUs, LiDAR).

Preferred Qualifications

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or science discipline.
  • Experience developingclosed-loop simulations for aviation or space vehicles (e.g., launch vehicles, spacecraft, planetary rovers, drones).
  • Proven experience using simulation forsynthetic data generation to train and validate perception, navigation, or other AI/ML models.
  • Experience with robotics middleware such as ROS/ROS2.
  • Familiarity with GPU-accelerated computing (CUDA) for simulation and rendering.
  • Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines for simulation environments.


Base Pay Range for:

WA applicants is $164,652.00 - $230,512.80

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Benefits

  • Benefits include:  Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.

  • Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)

  • Paid Time Off:  Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.

  • Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.

About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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